India-Pak tension may hit Gurpurb festivities

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 23

The tension between India and Pakistan may take a toll on the joint celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Though the SGPC, DSGMC and SAD (Delhi) have planned cross-border pilgrimage and religious processions to commemorate the occasion scheduled in November, looking at the rising tension, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, the enthusiasm appeared to have been dampened on both sides. Though the Pakistan authorities had earlier announced to grant around 10,000 visas for pilgrims, the SGPC has received just around 1,300 applications for a jatha to Pakistan.

Bhai Mardana Kirtan Darbar Society, which organises the pilgrimage, too, received just 400 applications and the DSGMC has got only a few applications.

SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh said the final decision on the jatha would be taken as per the situation prevailing in November. Recently, the SGPC has taken out a nagar kirtan that started off from Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib before entering to India through the Attari-Wagah border.

An official of SGPC said there were at least 3,000 applications for jathas that were scheduled for Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary in the past, but now the enthusiasm had decreased.

Bhai Mardana society’s president Harpal Singh Bhullar admitted that the tension between the two neighbouring countries had dampened the spirit among the devotees.

SAD (Delhi) Paramjit Singh Sarna was of view that the nagar kirtan would cross over to Pakistan on October 31, but the number of participants might be less.

The DSGMC too plans a parallel nagar kirtan from Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi to Nankana Sahib and looking forward to cross over Attari-Wagah border on November 1.

Exhibition on Guru Nanak in UAE 

New Delhi: On the eve of visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, international president, World Punjabi Organisation, presented a painting of Guru Nanak Dev to Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance. Sheikh Al Nahyan inaugurated an exhibition on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev to mark the 550th anniversary celebrations in Abu Dhabi. TNS